Apparatus for throwing projectiles from aircraft



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,852

R. ALKAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR THROWING PROJECTILES FROM AIRCRAFT Filed March 5. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Znventonr V M/rwii 0375M Mm Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,852

R. ALKAN ET AL.

APPARATUS FOR THROWING PROJECTI LES FROM AIRCRAFT Filed March 5. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

PTENT OFFICE.

ROBERT ALKAN AND GEORGES LESOURD, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR THROWING PROJECTILES FROM AIRCRAFT.

Application filed March 5, 1926, Serial No. 92,493, and in France March 9, 1925.

This invention relates to an apparatus specially designed for automatically dropplng projectiles from an aircraft in controlling 1 the operation of the fuzes of the same. The apparatus is constructed so that (1) theprojectile can be released having its fuzes' primed, e. g. in leaving the safety devices of these fuaes attached to the bombthrowelf, (2) the projectile can be released having itsfuzesnot, primed, e. g. to drop with the projectile the safety devices on the fuzes, Y

the throwing of the projectile in the one or other manner may be prepared at any 16 moment,and the manner of throwing-may be altered as. long as the releasing manoeuvre 'h n' t akenplac With this object. in view the apparatuscomprises: (a) a main releasing mechanism,

(6) auxi ia y mechan sms ont o ng th safety device of the fuzes,

(a) a driving mechanism ensuring the junction and the working of the main releasing. mechanism and of the auxiliary releasing mechanism.

embodiment of the invention is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawinga n h h v Eig. 1 ,shows in perspective view the total arrangement of the apparatus in the position in which the projectile is clenched.

Fig-Q, 2 is a similar view showing the position in which the projectile is released its fuze being; primed. i r

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position in which the projectile is clenched but h after the, ,revious' preparation for the throwing *of-tiie projectile its fuze being not 40. primed.

Figa tshows in similar View the position after the releasing of the ring .of the safety device.

Fig. [5 shows the hook for releasing the projectile, in elevation and in the clenching position. 7 i V Fig. 6 shows, this hook in the releasing position.

The apparatus comprisesessentially:

hook of which the projectile 18 is suspended and the operation of which is controlled by a cam.-.1'Twhi'chcontrols the, principalpositions of locking (Fig. 5) and of releasing (Fig. 6). v

(2) the auxiliary releasing mechanism 1) the main releasing mechanism to the.

which is composed of a hook 2 holding the ring 19 attached to the safety mechanism of the fuze and of a lever 3 pulled back by a spring and which prevents said ring from dropping off the hook 2 and which further may push this ring off when the hook 2 is puhed back by the action of the driving roc 4.

(3) the main drive for the cam l consisting of an axle 5 to which rotation is communicated from a distance and which acts upon the cam 1 by means of a lever 20 at its upper end, and through the intermediary of two cranks 6 and 7 and a rod 8 forming parallelogram.

On the main driving axle 5 an eccentric 21 is keyed which, through the intermediary of a connecting rod 9 communicates an oscillating movement to a lever 10 to which itjis connected and which is pivotally mounted at 11 on the rod 4 which controls the auxiliary releaser 2, 3. A spring 12v serves to, maintain the rod 4 in the position in which the auxiliary releaser 2, 3 is closed.

A second drivingaxle 13 serves to move a crank 14 carrying a roller 15 and held in its position of rest by the action of a spring 16, so that the roller- 15 is in the lower position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

If, under these conditions, the main driving axle 5 is operated by the lever 20 being pulled in the direction indicated by arrow 22, this driving axle 5, on the one hand, rotates the cam 1 through the intermediary of rod 8. and, on the other hand, acts through.

the intermediary of its eccentric 21 and crank 9 upon the lever 10 which, having no other supporting point but its axle 11 on rod 4 executes the same movement as the-eccentric and pivots around the axle 11 which together v with rod 4 is securely held by the action of the spring 12. In this case only the main releaser operated by cam 1 works, the auxiliary releaser 2, 3 remains closed and, the ring 19 of the safety device of the fuze re maining attached the safety device is separated from the fuze and the projectile 18 drops having its fuze primed (Fig. 2).

If, however, the auxiliary driving axle 13 is first rotated bya pull exerted upon the lever 23. in the direction of arrow .24 (Figs. 3 and 1) the roller 15 will adopt the raised po ition indicated in hes F gs 3. and .4:-

If subsequently the main driving axle is operated the cam 1 and eccentric 21 will be rotated as in the first case and lever 10,

' is evident, that by. providing for a convenient .i

pivotingaround its axle 11 will come'in con- V tact with roller 15 which formsa stationary The lever 10 continuing toioscillate under the -action of the crank 9,;the'

abutment.

action'of which is stronger than the action of spring 12 thegrod 4 will be shifted andthe auxiliary releaser will open (Fig. 4). It

' forebe liberated prior" to the bomb 18 dropping]f-roin-;the aircraft audit will be thrown having its fuize'not primed. This-device may be applied to one and the same projectile. v

"The above described mechanlsms' arejgiven all fuzes" of v 26 bywayfQfcxample only and might be-modi fiedwithout departing from jthe characteristic features of theinvention these" features being'capable to be appliedto apparatus comprising main" orauxiliary releasing mechanisms of any type for supporting projectiles in'vertical 013 horizonta1 position.

:We cl'aim a i j from aircraft, comprising in combination a main releasing device'for the dropping of;

the projectiles and consisting of a hookpivotally' mounted on the frame of the apparati'isi-and' carrying the projectile and of a pivotable L-Shaped garm normally I holding and consisting of a cam rotatablv located in said'hook in the'inoperative position, means for operating said main releaslngdevice,

said L-shaped :arm of the supporting hook, a

' crank onthe axle of said cam, a drivingaxle [to be rotated it'rom a distan'ce, a crank on said rotatable axle, ai-orank onthe axle of 7 said cam, a spring-controlled shiftable rod connecting said two cranks, an auxiliary re 7 ing device for the projectiles ismou-n'ted said *le'asinguevice' for releasing the safety device 7 of--the" iuse,"andconsisting of "a pivotable= lever on-the end of the frame ofthe apparw' :tus' opposite to the fend-on which said releasle'verhaving a 'hook-shaped-end 011 c the ri'ng' of the safety device for the fuze is attached,- and a spring-controlled pivotable armforengaging with said hook-shaped end of the pivotable lever andlocking the ring in its'position, and auxiliarymeans for operating said auxiliary releasing device dependent upon said main releasing device in order that the pro ect1le may be thrown elther with fuze not primed orwith primed fuze,

' said means-consisting of an eccentric keyed on-the lower end ofsaid driving axle, a crank on said eccentric, a spring-controlled I .ro d--attached to the 'upper end of said auxil- I "ia ry releasingqdevice, a lever "pivotally 1 apivotable L shaped' arm normally"holding said-L-sha ped arm-cube supportingihookya},

' to be -rotated; froma distance,= a-- crank i connecting =s that the proj ec'tilemay be i-ithrownf either' i r P with fuze not primedor With;*pri!ne 1; An apparatus for throwing'projecti-les i I on the lower end of said driving axle,ja cranki axle, a spring holding 'said crankinthe no mounted at the upper endofsaid connecting main releasing device forjthe dropping of thei-projectiles," and "consisting of a hook 7 I pivotally mounted'onthe 'frame of the ap paratus and carrying 'the' projectile andiof said hook in the operative position; lneans i p for operating said main releasing device-, 5 and COIISISlSIIIg of avcam rotatably located" in 1 said rotatable axle, acrank on the axle of said cam; a -spring-controlle .sh iftabl'e' rod two cranks auxiliary re leasing idevi'c for releasing he safety-KdeviCefn; ,and auxiliarimeans for operat- 1 mgsaid auxiliary; releasing device depend=- ent upon said main releasingadevicein order "j on said eccentriqaspring-controlled mate taehed to' tlie upper endf o'f said'auxiliaryfifev i in leasing device,a lever'pivota'lly mcfninted air 1 th-e upp'er'end of said" connecting rod iand o engagin'g with said cranlr of said eccentric, P i and of a-spring for holding said connecting rod in the position of; rest, and -a-uxiliary driving ineans in'dependent o "said means forop'erating saidmain releasing 'de'vice'theu position of which last I mentioned: auxiliarydrivingmeans can be I altered atanymoment, as long as-Zs'aid -maindrivingime'ansjh" e; ot'ibeen operatedi 'a nd without exerting 1 2 ac-*5 tion upon said-main and auxiliary i-'elea'sing; devi ce's; Y said auxil iary driving means? con E 0 sistingiof an axle adapted to bel l-Qllatd fro a ClistanCe,-1a crank at the lower endof'sai n al --positio'n said spring jbeing feebler the said spring a of i said" 'rod ofithe, ameanls fo operating said auxiliary releasing] deviceg i-i and Y a -olleri in the antenna of said crank i desi'gned' 'tof be brought into the "path of said pivotable lever in the crank of-saidMa'fir ofthe maindriving, axlefso that said lever. 5 'canshift said r'o'd -o'f the auxiliary driving device to release the ring of the fuzeo'f -the projectile priorfl-to the-releasexofsaid pro- V 7' -jectile. e

In testimony j whereof we aflixgour signer" tures. 

